Modern smartphones are now often equipped with cameras for taking photos and videos, and the capability and quality of these cameras rivals that of some professional digital cameras in terms of resolution, frames per second, contrast ratio, optical image stabilization, and lens quality, among other technical features. However, because smartphones are designed to meet user needs other than those related to the camera, such as texting, calling, playing music, and accessing applications, other smartphone camera features are inconvenient in comparison to dedicated cameras. Namely, physical limitations of smartphone designs often negatively impact the quality of photos and videos taken by users. For example, large flat screens make it difficult to see the content of a shot in direct sunlight, the flat geometry of most smartphones make them difficult to hold, and the touchscreen and side buttons used for other functions are often inconveniently placed for shooting photos. Photographers often judge the quality of a dedicated camera by its “form factor,” which is a term that describes the overall feel, convenience, and ease of use of a camera, because form factor can be an important consideration in the quality of a shot. Because the designs of most smartphones lend themselves to poor form factor, the quality of photographed or recorded content on smartphones often suffers even though the technical capabilities of the camera are superb.
Further, more people than ever before are taking pictures and videos because of the ubiquity of cameras in smartphones. Individuals who did not take many photos or videos prior to the advent of smartphones, or who did not care much about the quality of photos and videos they did take, are now more inclined to take them and care about their quality, given that smartphones give them more convenient opportunities to explore photography and videography. Additionally, many modern ways of social interaction, such as social media, place an emphasis on photos and videos, and provide easy-to-use tools to share user experiences. As a result, more and more individuals will seek to make the most of their high-quality phone cameras, and may become dissatisfied with the final output that results from their poor form factor. Similarly, photography enthusiasts and professionals who understand that the technical capabilities of their smartphone cameras are comparable with dedicated cameras may become dissatisfied knowing that poor form factor limits them from using a smartphone for professional quality shots.